5 Lessons on How to Treat a Lady
by A-Cheery-Melody
Summary: Meredith can’t help but wonder every once in a while how Derek manages to be this ‘McDreamy’.
1. Lesson 1: Nancy and her Manners

Summary: Meredith can't help but wonder every once in a while how Derek manages to be this 'McDreamy'

**A/N: Hi! Well this story started out like most good stories do, with a great idea, a little planning and then letting it all loose. This is a story about Derek and what makes him so McDreamy to the female eye. So Read, Enjoy, Review!**

**Disclaimer:**** Only in a fantasy world would it be possible that I own this very awesome show and all its troubled characters.**

Lesson 1: Nancy and her manners

I've always appreciated my sister Nancy. Although she had a tendency to go a little too far with things, she always meant well. At the end of the day she was a mom to the rest of us. When I look back at it I guess she had no other choice.

Since our dad died, our mother had to take on two jobs to keep food on the table and Nancy sacrificed a lot in order to help her.

At the time, mom came up to us kids, Nancy at her side, and made us all promise to grow up and be doctors so other people's dads can stay alive and so we'd never run out of food in the refrigerator.

But every so often Nancy made it hard to live with four older sisters; she was always able to round up the other girls into her own little posse and influence them, mostly against me.

----GAGAGA----

_Before season one…_

"Who knew how easy it was to meet beautiful women here?" I said aloud, standing behind a single woman who was sitting at the bar. I hated that line. It just wasn't me. It was a line my ex-best friend taught me to say before he became my ex-best friend. But tonight I got to say this line. Tonight I deserved to say whatever I wanted, to be whoever I wanted.

At the sound of my voice, she whipped her head around and I caught a quick whiff of lavender in her hair. She smiled a smile that lit up her face entirely. My eyes became fixated on her; it was almost impolite. As I fought to break eye contact I noticed the empty shot glass in her hand and three others on bar counter nearby.

I sat down beside her and ordered a beer. "Starting off a little heavy don't you think?" I chugged a sip straight out of the bottle.

"Sometimes you have to just give in to your temptations," she said with a small chuckle, as she gazed at the shot glass in her hand.

Her smile made me smile, "Yeah, I guess sometimes you do."

The bartender approached me, "You must be new around here,"

"Is it that easy to tell?"

"Well most of the people here are regulars. You know, doctors, nurses, coming to drown their problems in alcohol once they finish their shift."

"What about her?" I signaled to the girl next to me.

He shrugged, "A first timer"

I turned back to her, "So, how 'bout another round of drinks for me and my fellow first timer," I proposed. She seemed utterly delighted.

"Well what brings you here?" Yet again the choice of words is not mine but my ex-best friend's.

"I just spent the last two hours in room with a bunch of egotistical people who are sure that they and _they alone_ are able to make a difference in this world. And so now I'm just trying to check back into reality."

I nodded, "That's good. Reality's good." On the contrary, reality sucks; I couldn't help but think to myself.

"Not always." She muttered under her breath. She sighed and turned to me, "What about you? What brings you here?"

"Well…" I hesitated, "I'm here just for the sake of change"

"That's good. Change… is good," she said smiling.

"Then _please_, join me for another round of drinks… for the sake of change"

-----

_Nancy was 14 when she and her first boyfriend broke up. I was only about four. She stomped around the entire house ranting about how boys had absolutely no manners and that Tim, or Tom, or whatever his name was, never __really__ cared about her in the first place. That was one of the most significant times she managed to get our other three sisters to conspire against me._

_They tied me up to a chair in the playroom and left me curiously awaiting their return. She convinced them that it was for my own good; that they could make me into a perfect gentleman._

_A few minutes later Nancy returned to the playroom. I struggled to let myself loose._

"_Nancy! Let me go!" I yelled. Nancy pretended not to hear me as she began to lecture. Do keep in mind, I was only four._

"_Derek, girls like well-mannered gentlemen…"_

"_Who cares what girls want? They have cooties!" I shouted. She ignored my screams yet again and continued._

"…_so in order to be a gentleman, be polite and complimentary. Women like to hear 'please' and 'thank you'. Tell her she is gorgeous, beautiful, pretty and that she has lovely eyes. Just telling her she is wonderful often helps and thanking her for everything she does for you will also make her feel special." She looked furious but her tone was calm and collective. _

"_Find something unique about her that no one has ever told her about. Whenever giving compliments, look the girl straight in the eye. DON'T," she emphasized, "call her 'hot' or 'sexy',_ _instead try 'cute', 'pretty', or 'beautiful'. She turned towards the door but stopped half way, clearly she wasn't finished._

"_Oh and Derek, mean what you say. Say things you actually __mean__ about her," And with that she left the room to join the other girls, slamming the door behind her and leaving me still restrained._

-----

"Do you know," I said to the woman who had kept me company that night, "that you have **the loveliest** eyes I have ever seen?"

The strangest thing was that this was _not_ just a line, it was the truth and I meant it. I have never meant anything more in my entire life. Her eyes were just _so_ exquisite; they were deep and blue and had this mysterious sadness about them that captured my awe. When I stared into them I felt as though I was staring into her soul. Cliché, I know, but it felt so real.

"My eyes," she admitted shyly, "are rather plain, I think"

"No. They're not!" I objected, how could such an incredibly looking woman be so modest? "They're lovely"

She watched me then smiled; those eyes of hers emphasized how genuine that smile was.

And so, several drinks and a few compliments later we found ourselves at what seemed to be her place, having the most passionate and invigorating sex I have had in a long time. How could you feel so deeply for someone that you had just met? Maybe all that alcohol was getting to us.

She was the first person I trusted since I've been damaged. That's okay, because when I saw her, I knew it, she was damaged too and for the first time in a while I felt alive again.

Unfortunately the next morning when she awoke, she threw me out. Her smile was still soft and sincere when she looked at me and insisted that I go so she wouldn't be late for the first day at work.

I left with two very important things that morning; the first of them being her name: _Meredith_ and the second was that feeling inside me, that Meredith and I would soon meet again.

**A/N: I find it quite ironic that the first line Derek ever said around Meredith was his ex-best friend's line (aka Mark's). I'd like to thank all of you readers for doing what you do best… sitting in front of that computer, procrastinating with your tasks and simply reading. **

**Make the author happier and review! Have any questions, comments, suggestions? Review!**

**And a special thanks to my wonderful new beta reader, blueflamedfire for all the help (you should check out her stories too, if you haven't done so already). **

_**Shh… wanna hear what's coming up next? Here's a hint: Derek has another sister, her name is Kathleen. She has a lesson to teach too.**_


	2. Lesson 2: Kathleen and Communication

**A/N**: **thanks everyone for waiting patiently for this chapter. here it is.**

**(insert witty disclaimer here)**

Lesson 2: Kathleen and the Importance of Communication

Everyone always loved Kathleen. You couldn't help but not love her, she was just that likeable. Whenever we were together, I always new she cared about me, maybe even more than my other sisters, I felt it. Whenever you were around Kathleen, you felt so vibrant, so cared about, so full of self-worth.

Out of all of us, Kathleen had the best judgment. She always knew how to differentiate between right and wrong and how to keep everyone in check. Her decisions were always right and firm and the only person who could ever influence her was Nancy.

I think what I've always loved most about Kathleen was that feeling that I could truly trust her and I could come to her about anything. She gave the best advice. She still does, I just think I've stopped asking for it.

----GAGAGA----

"Coffee would really hit the spot right about now."

That was the line I used when Meredith finally agreed to give me a chance and go out with me. It was difficult to get her to do so once she found out that I was her boss at her new job.

Using my own words didn't necessarily mean that I found myself only that I was not _completely_ lost.

Working with Meredith for two weeks gave us more of a chance to talk. I wish that meant I could say that I knew all about her but I didn't, not yet… that's why this breakfast date meant a great deal to me. I'd soon get to see what was really behind those puzzling eyes and ineffectual fists. That gave me a good feeling.

If you ask me, I don't think Meredith remembers everything that went on that went on the night we met; the way I fell in love with those little things about her almost instinctively.

I'm not sure she'll ever remember. I'm not sure she'll ever really get what I feel when I look at her everyday in the halls of that hospital.

There's always that fear after being broken, that things will never be okay again. It leads to a decline in trying. But when it came to Meredith I was fine, because I could tell when I saw her… she was broken too.

Tormenting thoughts ran over and over in my head to the point where I almost left the café before she even showed up, but right as I rose, she arrived. She had shown, just as she had agreed to. She didn't look frightened at all and suddenly I didn't either. It seemed as if that priceless smile on her face had dismissed my fear too.

I remained rising and I seated her, like any gentleman would.

"You made it," I said trying not to seem overexcited.

"You made it too,"

"Wouldn't miss it," I replied. Apparently smiles were contagious; for the past few weeks, including this very moment, I couldn't help but smile.

Without further discussion, we both silently glanced at the café menu, though truthfully, I couldn't really concentrate on what to order. All I could think about was Meredith, and what to say to her; how to make her get it.

-----

_In the few minutes it took Kathleen to arrive into the room, I had basically given up. I was their captive; I belonged to the girls, even at four years old I knew that. I stopped screaming, I stopped kicking, I stopped fighting back altogether and began to somehow accept it. _

_Kathleen strode in to the playroom, grabbed a chair that she was undoubtedly oversized for and sat across from me several seconds before beginning to speak._

_I looked straight at her. The fact that we were face to face with each other made me feel a little calmer, perhaps it even made it easier to identify with her. _

_Kathleen had this look about her, like she had gone through more in the last thirteen years than most people do in a lifetime… but nobody really knew for sure. _

_At last, she opened her mouth to lecture, "Derek do you know what girls like to do?" she said __**to**__ me not at me, "they like to talk, a lot." She paused, "take Nancy for instance," we both giggled. Nancy was definitely something we could both relate to; when she began to chatter there was no putting an end to it._

"_Why?" I asked simply to be an annoyance._

_She ignored me, stood up and became serious, "and a gentleman's job is to listen."_

_With that, I stopped looking at her. I now focused my gaze on my feet, which I swung back and forth inches above the wooden floor. _

_She continued but I didn't want to hear it. It wasn't fun anymore, "Listen to her, and hear her out, give eye contact,"she clapped loudly and I broke out of my distraction, "let her know you are giving full attention. However, you also need to open up and tell her your thoughts, opinions and problems. The communication must be mutual, not one-sided."_

_Hell if I knew what 'mutual' meant at the time. "Why?" I asked over. Now I was not only annoying but clever too. Surely being an annoying brat would get me out of this chair, no violence required._

_Ignored yet again, "Don't push her, don't boss her around, and don't try to make her do anything she does not want to do. Ask her for advice and for her opinions. __Let__ her talk. Do not stop her while she is speaking, just listen to her."_

"_Why?"_

"_Derrrek!" Kathleen gave me a stare that only she could master. I became silent and disappointedly stared downward. She gently lifted my chin up, gave me a smile and ruffled my hair, which was a little bit shaggy at the time but flawless even so._

_Her tone leveled, "If she has a problem ask her if there is any way you can fix it. Then simply listen. For women in general it isn't about fixing their problems; it's about caring about how it makes them feel."_

_All that said, she too left the room, without even I single sign that I would be untied any time soon._

-----

We placed our orders. Meredith ordered some sort of extravagant version of the Mocha Latte (something she could have easily gotten at work) and a plain pastry while I went full out. I had a Grande something or other and put in a very special request for pancakes.

"You should know, it's on me," I informed her when the waitress arrived to take our orders, "feel free to have whatever you want." She thanked me but that didn't make her change her order.

'I'm not that hungry', was her explanation for it.

The waitress left and we began to engage in simple conversation:

"So, how does it feel being an intern?" Yes, I am clearly aware of how lame my side of this conversation was and apparently she was too.

Her eyes widened a bit, "Tiring, as I'm sure you know," she paused. There was silence. I became very anxious. I never had this much trouble impressing her at work. Suddenly now the spotlight was on me and I had no clue what to say next.

"It's not much easier on me when it comes to Izzie and George," Meredith knew what to say to keep the ball rolling. She didn't seem nervous at all. Perhaps this meant as much to her as it did to me. "See I decided to keep the house, my mother's house."

"I see"

I looked straight at her. Knowing we sat face to face calmed me down. Without further interruption I let her continue.

"And so naturally I would need roommates. I mean it's a really big house to uphold. And I really did try to refrain from choosing either of them, since I see them so often as it is but there wasn't much option, not one half-normal person responded to that ad." She took a breath.

"I'm sure that Dr. Stevens and O'Malley mean well."

"I think that's just it," she shook her head slightly, "you know what, it doesn't matter, this is probably the last thing you want to hear, let's just—" She seemed to be embarrassed or ashamed of what she was saying.

"No, it's fine," I insisted as I took her delicate hands into mine, "keep going, I'm all ears." I sat there with a smile that was nothing short of McDreamy expectations while she looked at me skeptically.

Her hands were still in mine; they were soft and warm and somehow I felt it in my heart too.

She withdrew them and continued, "I guess they're just trying to be nice and all, but they're unpacking and wound up, they want to fix things that were never even broken in the first place. It's just… different."

I nodded in understanding. "You know what I think? I think you should just go with it, let them in. Get to know them better. Show them who you really are. Believe me, internship is a very lonely year and the only way you can all get through it… is together. Try. I have faith in you and I'm never wrong about people."

Her eyes thanked me and I think she even blushed a little. I, on the other hand, spat out a little lie. I hadn't been right about a person in a while; I had completely lost faith in people. I think I was safe though, I really had faith in her and I'm sure that this time I couldn't be wrong.

Our breakfast had finally arrived. The waitress had given me a dirty stare. Clearly the cook didn't enjoy taking my special request and I'd surely be hearing about it in my bill. Right now I didn't care. I had my pancakes and a very gorgeous surgical intern accompanying me.

Meredith reached for her fork and brought it closer to my plate. "That looks good," she said with a smile.

"Oh," I chuckled, "So, I take it you're hungry now?" I pulled my plate further away from her before she could take a bite. "Before I let you have any, you must agree to something."

"What?" she inquired with a giggle.

"You must agree to spend the rest of the afternoon with me,"

She contemplated for a second, "Done," she replied.

And she did so. She took me on my first ferryboat ride in Seattle. Boy did I love ferryboats.

**A/N: anyway, stuff i'd been meaning to say: I wasnt planning on this being a season 1 fic, it just worked out like that and i thinks its nice that way. you dont need much knowledge (other than the basics) to get whats going on so thats good. I'm debating where to go with this fic, so I'm asking you readers to take the extra step and REVIEW. It's the only way to keep the chapters coming people.  
**


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